Abraham Maslow proposed the famous Hierarchy of Needs (1943) — a pyramid of five levels of human motivation: (1) Physiological, (2) Safety, (3) Love/Belonging, (4) Esteem, and (5) Self-Actualisation. In education, this theory emphasises that students cannot focus on learning (higher needs) if basic needs (food, safety, belonging) are unmet. Maslow's hierarchy has profoundly influenced educational psychology and school counselling.